Furoshiki — Origami meets Fabric Gift Wrap

So what did people do before plastic bags? Or toss-able wrapping paper? Well, in Japan, they had furoshiki. They used cloth squares, with fanciful origami-type folding and tying, to tote their gear to the bathhouse, to carry their bentos, and to wrap gifts. In an effort to reuse and reduce, this idea is becoming popular in many corners of the world. We've rounded up some information and inspiration on the topic.

First, there's the fabric itself. Here are some that caught our eye (shown above left to right):